Avatar: Legend of Taia
by Sun Spirit Taia
Summary: When the Spirits decided to live in the mortal world, they decided to take the forms of things to teach humans humility. That was all, but one. The Sun Spirit, was the only Spirit that took the form of a human and lived the life of one. Once they died. A new one reincarnated. They were the ultimate Masters of Fire. This is the story of Taia, she is the Sun Spirit. Book One: Water
1. Prologue

**Hey Guys! I've always had this idea in mind since the first time i watched the show and i just had to finally write it! Zuko has always been my favourite character in the Avatar Series but i absolutely hated him with Mai, so this is my version of Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

**This Story is Book One, so i will (hopefully) be writing Book Two and Three after this. Hope you enjoy!**

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"AHHHH!" A little girl screamed. "Papa Li, STOP IT!" The young Fire Sage laughed as he thru her into the air and caught her quickly making the little one giggle even harder.

"You know what?" Li said holding her up in front of him. The little girl cocked her head to the side expecting him to put her down. "I don't think i will!" He said laughing.

"PAPA!" She laughed loudly. The little girl had curly elbow length red hair, contrasting to her orange and brown tunic. She had amber eyes and for a two year old, she was beautiful. Fire Sage Li spun her around around the room, her laughter bringing the other Fire Sages inside the small sleeping chamber where the two year old should have been taking her afternoon nap.

"Li! Tai Yang should be sleeping!" The eldest of the Sages scolded.

Li laughed pulled Tai Yang closer to him hugging her. "Yes, i know. But who could say no to this face!" He rubbed his cheek against Tai Yang's who looked slightly annoyed.

"Taia! I like it more than _Tai Yang_." She said her name like it was the grossest thing she'd ever tasted. She crossed her arms and pouted. That got the other Sages to melt their stubborn facades and smile slightly.

"Well, _Taia_. Why aren't you sleeping young lady?" Master Hue asked smirking. Master Hue was the deemed 'Leader' and Great Sage of the Fire Nation making him a skilled fire bender and feared opponent to many but for some reason Taia had him and the rest of the Fire Sages in the palm of her hand.

"I can't sleep, Papa Hue! I'm filled with too much energy!" She yelled jumping out of Li's arms and running to Hue throwing her arms around his ankles. The fully grown Fire Sage towering over the small two year old.

Hue smiled and chuckled. "Of course you are. You've always been a ball of energy." He picked up Taia and she thru her arms around his neck giggling again.

"Well, than i guess, you watch us train the new recruits..." Hue said looking at the others.

"YAY!" Taia jumped out of his arms and onto the ground ignoring the others as she ran out of the room.

Hue looked at Li who was leaning on the wall smirking at him. "What?"

Li just shook his head and smiled. "You just made my point so much easier." He than ran out of the room. "Taia! Wait for us, my little sunflower!"

* * *

"Wow! Look at that!" Taia marvelled at the fire bender in the training area outside through the window while sitting on Fire Sage Gen's lap.

Hue may have said that she could watch the recruits but he never said where. Ended up that Taia wasn't allowed to watch them while sitting outside. So that was the reason, they were sitting in the library where it had a ginormous window overlooking the courtyard and the training grounds. It was Taia who had picked their seats.

A soft knock was heard as a short yet heavy man walked in. He had big eyebrows and a long black beard. His shoulder length black hair was halfway styled with a traditional top knot and his hair was slightly greying. He had next to him a taller slimmer man with long elbow length black hair and a traditional top knot. His amber eyes were the same of the first man. He looked scarier than the first man who greeted Taia with a warm gentle smile. The second man just silently glared at everything. Behind them were two guards in Fire Nation uniform.

Taia looked up at Gen confused. He seemed to understand their reason for coming into the library and picked Taia off his lap and lightly let her on the ground.

Taia frowned and turned to the doorway to see Li and Hue walking in looking slightly down.

"Papa Li, Papa Hue, what's going on?" She asked quietly.

The first man smiled even bigger and bent down to look Taia in the eyes. "Hello Tai Yang. I've heard so much about you. I am Iroh. It's nice to meet you." He let out his hand and she shook it gently. She seemed to calm down to his friendliness.

Li put his hands on her shoulders. "Actually she's come to like the nickname Taia so we've all come accustomed to call her that."

"Well than, let me apologize, _Taia_." Iroh corrected himself. Taia's serious face suddenly broke out into a huge grin. She looked at the second man curiously.

"Ozai. _Prince_ Ozai." he said stiffly.

Taia's mouth opened in shock and then closed quickly. "Nice to meet you Prince Ozai." Taia bowed to him and then grinned. She turned towards Iroh, slightly realizing whop he was. Her eyes widened as Iroh nodded and winked at the little girl. Ozai seemed to relax a little after seeing she at least had some manners. "But Papa," she said looking at Li. "Why are the Princes of the Fire Nation _here_?"

Li looked at his feet sad. "Well, Taia, you always knew you wouldn't live with us forever..." Taia nodded, motioning for him to go on. "And that you would leave one day?" She nodded again slightly realizing where the conversation was going. "Today is that day." Her eyes widened. "You'll be living with Prince Iroh from now on. You're his Ward." She looked at Iroh who smiled gently.

"Will I ever see Papa again?"

"Of course, Rose Blossom. We can visit anytime you want." Iroh told her.

"And you'll be nice?"

"Of course." Iroh responded. "So you'll come?" Iroh had of course no choice to bring her but he wanted to make sure she'd willingly come with him.

"Yes, but on one condition." Iroh raised an eyebrow. "

"Yes?"

"If I live with you and I develop my fire bending..." She slightly hesitated. "_You'll_ teach me!" She pointed at Iroh.

Iroh held his stomach and laughed. "Of course, I'll teach you little Rose Blossom. So you'll live with me in the Palace?"

"YA!" Taia ran to the man and wrapped her arms around his legs.

Li smiled sadly and walked to her. "Come Sunflower. We need to pack your things."

"YAY!" Taia ran out of the room giggling with Li behind her, leaving Iroh and Ozai with Hue and Gen.

"So that, _child_, is the all powerful Sun spirit?" Ozai said in disgust. Iroh shook his head at his brother.

"Yes, and my lord, Taia isn't just _any_ child. She's been reincarnated hundreds if not _thousands_ of times. Just as many as the Avatar, we presume. She will be one of the most powerful Benders in the Fire Nation." Hue said stoically.

"Well, i don't like her. She's too fickle." Ozai said stubbornly.

"Oh look at you brother! Speaking like a school boy!" Iroh laughed. "Well, Ozai, _you_ don't have to like her. She's _my_ Ward. And i personally find she's a sweet girl."

"She's strange! Did you see her hair?! It was odd."

"I think it's beautiful. A symbol to show us that she's fire itself." Iroh defended. Iroh turned to Hue. "Does she know anything?"

"Yes. She knows everything. Who she is. What she can do. What she _has_ done. Her incarnations. And her powers. She embraces it." Hue answered proudly.

Iroh nodded. "Has she showed any of the usual signs yet?"

"Yes, her hands can burn anyone she touches if angry, though it only happened once after we took a bird out of it's misery," Iroh shivered. He couldn't imagine what she must have felt. "We also noticed that her hair seems to, well..._glow_."

"_Glow_?" Ozai asked incredulously.

"Yes, Glow. When she had her first symptom and she burnt one of the Sages. Her hair began to glow a bright red and her eyes turned red also."

"I see." Iroh said thoughtful. "Is it every time? Or, only when a Spiritual case irises itself?"

"Only that time. But we can't know for sure. She hasn't fire bended yet so we haven't been able to test it. Just make sure to keep you're eyes open."

"Keep your eyes open for what?" Taia's head suddenly popped into the doorway. She had a small bag on her left shoulder and was wearing a warm ruby coat that matched her hair.

"Candied Apple Pears. Your favourite!" Gen answered with a warm smile. "Have you said Goodbye to all the Sages?"

"Yes. They said that they'd miss me but i told them Prince Iroh promised me i could visit so it wasn't really goodbye!" Taia beamed at Gen. She then ran into his arms. "I'll miss you two. Other than Li, you guys were my favourite Papas." She said quietly. Hue hugged her next.

"You better hurry. Or you'll miss your boat!" Hue held her a little longer but then sent her with Iroh and Ozai.

They walked outside the room. Ozai had been in front of the two and practically ran away when he saw he could. However Taia and Iroh walked at little slower, Taia holding the Princes hand while asking questions.

"Will i get my own room?"

"Yes,"

"Will it be next to yours?"

"Of course."

"Will we eat breakfast together?"

"And lunch and dinner."

"Are there other kids at the Palace?"

"Yes, there is my son Lu Ten, he is thirteen. Then their are Ozai's child, Zuko, he is about your age. And then there is Azula who is a year younger than you. I'm sure you'll be great playmates." Taia mood increased at this information. She'd never had another kid around. "Now, i have a question for you, Rose Blossom. Are you ready to begin your new life?" he asked motioning to the boat in front of them. Throughout their little interview they had walked all the way to the dock.

Taia looked at her new 'father'. "Ya! To the Fire Palace!" Taia soon jumped into a seat on the boat, not realizing that as soon as that dingy left the dock, her entire life would change. _Forever._

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**And that my lovelies is the Prologue of Avatar: Legend of Taia. If you like it please comment (it makes me write the chapters faster) and Alert/Favourite this story.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter One: The Boy in the Iceberg

**Two Chapters in one day! I'm on a role! Hope you like it!**

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_*14 years later*_

"You know, Old man? One day i _will_ beat you at this game!" Taia screamed in annoyance from her seat at the table where her and Iroh had been playing Pong Sho. At least that was before he had viciously beat her. He didn't just let her win anymore. Now that she older, anyways. Taia had changed very much during the fourteen years that passed.

Her hair had turned slightly darker, more of a ruby and it was less of a nest than it had been, her hair was in soft curls now. Her face had lost it's baby fat that had made her such an adorable child and began to show her cheekbones and pointed chin that made her the beauty she was. Taia was five foot four, a good average height Iroh always reminded her, though she hated it. And her body had gotten a well, feminine figure, that many boys had soon noticed (It really ticked her off.).

She was wearing her hair down loose except for the small top knot at the back of her head. Her outfit consist of a blood red tunic that reached her knees. It was cut from her waist to to end on each side to give her the ability to move around. She wore an regular shade of red overshirt and orange sash. She also wore a pair of fingerless burgundy gloves that went up to elbows, black boots and loose burgundy leggings.

Iroh had changed as well. He had gained much more weight, not to mention that his hair which used be raven with tiny bits of sliver in it had become a full on grey. Not that Taia minded. He was still Iroh. She was not one to care for personal appearances. Iroh smirked and begun a new game with the teenager.

"Well, my little Rose Blossom, though i rather like your confidence, i am undefeated!" Iroh answered while sipping his Jasmine tea. Taia moved her piece. Iroh was slightly obsessed with tea, she soon found out. It annoyed her slightly but she never said anything.

Taia opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a memorizing shaft of white blue light in the distance. It reached to the sky and glowed brightly until it soon disappeared as fast as it came.

"Finally," Taia turned her head to see Zuko looking at her and Iroh. Zuko had a full shaven head except for his ponytail, bound in red material. He was pale and had beautiful amber eyes. One of which, his left, was badly scarred from a vicious burn. Taia had never once looked at it though, with disgust or fear, just sadness. She loved Zuko with all her heart, he was her best friend. And she couldn't stand the thought of him in such agony.

Zuko turned to Iroh. "Uncle, do you realize what this means?" He said with an eager tone.

"Taia and I won't get to finish our game?" He said calmly. Taia giggled took a sip of her tea. Zuko rolled his eyes.

"It means my search! It will finally come to an end!" Zuko said excitedly. Iroh groaned while Taia watched the scene in front of her. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!"

Taia sighed and spoke for Iroh; "Or Zuko, It could just be the celestial lights Iroh never shuts up about." she turned to man sitting with her at the table. "Sorry," she apologized quickly. He motioned for her to go on. "Please don't get your hopes up too high. I don't want you to walk around the deck like a sad puppy again." Zuko eyes softened when she spoke to him gently.

"We don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?" Taia sighed. Zuko's face went from calm to angry in a matter of seconds.

_Ya, he's gonna explode. _Taia thought herself.

"I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar!" Zuko yelled at Iroh. He turned around and screamed into the air. "Helmsman, head a course for the light!"

_Called it._

Zuko then stormed off, inside the fire navy ship leaving a shaken crew and a sad Taia.

"Why do you that? You know once you talk about calming tea he just blows up." She asked Iroh slightly annoyed.

"Because i know that the only person that can calm him down, is you." Iroh replied smirking. The girl began to grown beat red.

"Well-thats-well...THAT'S NO REASON!" Taia screamed embarrassed and ran after Zuko. She wasn't mad, just really embarrassed. When she felt like that she sorta shouted. Especially when Iroh did it. Since Zuko and Taia could began to play he had done that, tease them.

Taia fumed like this in her head until she came face to face with Zuko's bedroom door, which of course, was slammed shut. She lightly knocked.

"It's me."

The door slowly opened and she saw Zuko his hair loose and his face angry standing in the middle of the doorway blocking her entry. "If Uncle sent you-"

"Iroh didn't send me. He never does. You know that." He eyed her for a second than moved out of the way. When she walked in he closed the door softly behind her. Taia didn't looked behind her to know that Zuko followed. They had gone through this process so many times it was like a ritual. Taia walked to his bed and sat down quietly.

Zuko lied down next to her. "Why is he like that? Can't he see that I'm doing all of this for him, for you, for us! It's like he doesn't want me to get my honor back!" He ranted. Taia just sat there and listened to him quietly ramble on with her back to him. It was like that for almost an hour until he finally simmered down. That's when she spoke.

"Zuko, he loves you. Just like Ursa did and I do. He wants you to get your honor back. But to also become a good person. He wants you to experience life and adventure like a normal teenager. He doesn't want to sabotage your mission but to give you memories on your way to accomplish it. He doesn't like you sad and disappointed just like me. All these years when you were so sure but it was a bad lead, has gotten him accustomed to think to worst. It might be the Avatar, who knows? But it also might just be something else. That's what he's trying to tell you. He secretly hopes it is though. I know that. And one day you will find him. But it might not be today. Don't take it out on your Uncle." Taia then lied down next to him, her head on his chest.

"Taia?"

She looked up at him. He had been quiet for a couple of minutes before he said her name.

"Yes?"

"Thanks, you know, for everything."

Taia smiled as she put her head back on his chest. "No problem."

* * *

Zuko was standing on the spotting deck off bridge of the ship. He was staring at the water thinking about what Taia had said. They had fallen asleep soon after. He woke up to find her still in a deep sleep and left quickly making sure he didn't wake her. He ended up there. Just staring at the water.

In the dark night light Iroh approached his nephew. "Well, I'm going off to bed now." Iroh yawned exaggeratedly. "Yep. A man needs his rest. Prince Zuko, you need some sleep. Even if you're right and the Avatar is alive, you won't find him. Your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all tried and failed."

"Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture. Mine does. This coward's hundred years in hiding are over." Zuko replied darkly. Iroh smiled sadly and through his arm around Zuko's neck, in a half hug.

"I see you're talk with Taia didn't brighten your mood, just calmed it down." Zuko's eyes widened and cheek's reddened.

"How d-did you-"

"Uncle Iroh knows all..." he said mystically looking off into the distance. "And i walked into your room when you two were sleeping to see if either of you were hungry!" Iroh turned to his nephew grinning ear to ear.

"You-you-you WHAT?!" Zuko suddenly ripped himself from his Uncle's grasp beat red. "How many times have i told not to come in my room when the door is closed!?"

Iroh held his stomach as he laughed at Zuko scolding him, his arms waving in the air and his eyes bulging out of his head.

* * *

The next day Zuko and Taia were training with Iroh on the spotting deck. Iroh was currently working with Zuko as Taia was doing independent study.

Zuko was facing two navy seamen. Iroh sitting nearby with Taia next to him working on her breathing.

"Again," Iroh ordered.

Zuko takes an annoyed breath and shoots fire at the men from his hands. He missed only barely. The guards attack Zuko themselves with blasts of fire from their fists. Zuko dodges them easily, using their shock as an advantage he back flipped over the guards to land behind them.

"Ha! HEEYA!" Zuko about to attack but is interrupted by Iroh standing up.

"No! Power in firebending comes from the breath. Not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire." Iroh explained gently.

"Get it right this time." Iroh said sternly. He walked back to Taia and sat next to her like before.

Zuko seemed impatient. "Enough! I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready." He said looking at Iroh. He turned to Taia.

"No, you are impatient. You have yet to master your basics." Zuko let out an angry yell. Iroh let out a forceful; "Drill it again!"

"Doesn't this bother you? That when you could be learning something new he makes you do _breathing_?"

Taia opened one of her eyes and looked coyly at Zuko. "This is my independent practice, Zuko. _I_ choose what i do. _I_ want to work on my breathing because _I_ need master it. Just like you need to master the set. Listen to your Uncle."

"Grrr...HA!" Zuko screamed and blasted one of the guards with a fireball. "The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements. I'll need more than basic firebending to defeat him. You WILL teach me the advanced set!" He yelled at Iroh.

Iroh sighed. "Very well." A guard put a tray on the low table in between him and Taia. "But first," He pulled off the lid of the tray and showed Zuko a huge meal. "I must finish my roast duck!" he said with a smile. Iroh began eating with a smile on his face.

* * *

Taia was leaning against a railing watching penguins swimming in south pole water when she heard Zuko yelling. "Wake my uncle! Tell him I found the Avatar..." She turned to see him smiling at her. Zuko walked up to her and handed her his telescope. Taia put the telescope to her eye and looked in the direction he was looking before. She saw a small town. In the distance their were small people running around.

_Children..._

"...as well as his hiding place."

_Oh no..._

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**Uh Oh doesn't look like Taia is gonna enjoy this...COMMENT! (Please...)**


	3. Chapter Two: The Avatar Returns

**Hey guys! Wow, I'm super happy from the response I've gotten so far. I've been getting a lot of questions like; "When will you be posting the next chapter?"And I will be posting a new chapter (hopefully every one or two days.)**

**You guys have been awesome especially; **CourtingTheMoon and Ali (Guest), **for reviewing and leaving comments.**

**And to; **ElizaBethJacksonPotter, ponzi382, CourtingTheMoon, YukiTora17 **and** estoniamakeasparkle **for Alerting to the Story**

**Anyways let's get to the story:**

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"Is that really what your wearing?" Zuko asked Taia as he was being fastened into his armor. He motioned to her usual outfit. Taia raised an eyebrow and looked herself over.

"Ya, it's not like I'm trying to impress anybody." Taia looked back up at her friend incredulously. "Why?"

"W-well there w-will be b-b-b-WHATEVER!" Zuko yelled and than turned around his back to Taia. Leaving her shocked and confused. She turned to Iroh who leaning against the wall next her.

"What was that about?"

Iroh laughed. "I don't think our Prince Zuko wants the Water Tribe boys to see how beautiful you are." Taia began to blush.

"What?!"

"Shut up Uncle!" Zuko yelled beat red as a guard gave him his helmet.

"And how pray tell may i ask were you gonna hide her? Make her dress as a guard? Get her to wear one of those silly helmets?"

Zuko turned around holding his helmet and said through clenched teeth; "The helmet isn't stupid! It's for my safety!" At this point Iroh and Taia were giggling as he put on his helmet.

"If you love it so much why don't you _marry_ it!?" Taia said laughing so hard she had to hold on to Iroh.

Zuko glared. "That's not funny."

"General Iroh, Prince Zuko we'll be there in two minutes!" Said a guard who stuck their head through the door. He ran off right after informing them.

Taia glared after the man. "Thanks..." She mumbled annoyed looking at the doorway, obviously feeling ignored.

When Taia was turned a guard gave Zuko a second helmet, which unfortunately, Iroh saw. He began to laugh into his hand trying to keep quiet but he couldn't so he ran outside the room to laugh somewhere else.

Taia had seen Iroh run out of the room. She turned to Zuko to ask why but stopped herself when she saw Zuko holding _another_ helmet.

Taia opened her mouth to ask what was going on when Zuko thru the helmet into her arms. "It's for you, to keep you safe out there." He said looking at his feet.

Taia looked down at the helmet grimly back up at Zuko who looked at her expectantly. "It's the thought that counts." She kissed his cheek quickly and gave him back the helmet. "But I'm not wearing that ugly thing."

Zuko was beat red and couldn't get a word in until the man who had told them where they were had came back. "Prince Zuko, Lady Tai Yang! We've arrived!" Zuko ran out of the room and into the exit. Taia ran behind him and once she got there she stood slightly behind him with the soldiers.

The sound of metal on metal ringed in there ears as the bowsprit on the ship opened and folded out. They used bowsprit as a huge gangplank so they can disembark.

All they could see was steam but they began to walk down anyway. As some of steam began to clear up Taia could see a group of people gathered at the bottom of bowsprit, most of them children. Dread filled her.

Taia looked turned her head to look a little bit at the sides of the walkway so she didn't have to look at the kids. She saw a tanned teenage boy sitting there snow on his head. She couldn't see much of his face due to it was covered in facepaint. He had blue eyes and a ponytail. He was staring at her. She looked down at her feet beat red.

The boy had came back to his senses and got up. He charged at Zuko with a weird sort of war cry. As he ran up the steps to Zuko, The Prince casually and expertly kicked his weapon out of his hand and then kicked him in the face, sending him sprawling on the ice.

The boy got stuck in this ice and was trying to get out.

Taia looked at the villagers who all seemed to be frightened. All of them women or children. That boy seemed to be their only soldier.

Zuko looked around to crowd then walked up to a teenage girl and elderly woman. The girl had long dark brown hair with 'loopies' in the side bangs. She had blue eyes identical to the boy from before. The elderly woman look exactly like the girl. Except for the age difference and that her hair was grey. They looked shocked and frightened.

"Where are you hiding him?" When no one answered he grabbed the elderly woman and showed her to the villagers. "He'd be about this age? Master of all elements?" Still no one spoke. After a brief moment of silence he thru the woman into the teenage girl's arms. With a cry of frustration he sent a blast of fire over the villagers heads. "I know you're hiding him!" Some of them screamed. Taia could see they were all really scared.

Taia soon heard another strange battle cry and turned around. The boy from before, with less face paint, was charging at Zuko again with his weapon in the air. Zuko turned to the boy annoyed.

He dodged the boy's charges and flipped him over his head. Zuko fired a blast of flames at him, but he rolled out of the way, throwing his boomerang at Zuko as he did. Caught by surprise, Zuko barely avoided the boomerang. He turns to look back in anger at him over the near miss.

The boy turned to the villagers. A little boy in the crowd throws him a spear.

"Show no fear!" he yelled in a tiny voice.

The teen caught the spear and charged Zuko, who, as he reached him, broke off pieces of the spear shaft with his wrist guards. After the head of the spear has been shorn off, Zuko grabbed the spear and boinked the boy on the forehead with it several times. Zuko then broke it in half and dropped it on the ground. The boy, after getting bonked on the head, had also sunk to the ground, rubbing his head.

Zuko stood sternly over him. In the sky in the background, Taia watched as the boomerang reappears. It slams Zuko in the back of the head, knocking his helmet off.

Taia began to laugh really hard as Zuko rubbed the back of his head holding the helmet. "And, that Taia, _is why I wear the ugly helmet._" He said in an annoyed voice. The villagers watched confused as Taia bent over holding her legs as she laughed. Zuko watched, as well though, he was practically fuming from the ears.

She calmed down in a couple seconds and looked up to see Zuko glaring at her.

"Sorry, carry on." Zuko put back on his helmet and looked down to see the Water Tribe boy staring at Taia like a love sick puppy.

_This is why she should have worn the helmet! _Zuko thought to himself.

Zuko began spit fire out of his hands and stand over the teen menacingly. The Water Tribe boy's attention soon went back to Zuko. Zuko smiled slightly and turned to sneak a peek at Taia. She was staring at something behind him with wide eyes.

He opened his mouth to say something, but was soon cut off when a boy sliding on a penguin went through his legs, which made his legs sweep from underneath him. Zuko landed butt up with his helmet on his behind making Taia's giggles irrupt once more.

Taia looked up at the sound of a childish voice; "Hey Katara. Hey Sokka." It was the boy who had made Zuko fall. He was a small boy, maybe twelve. He had huge grey eyes and a blue arrow on his head. Taia's eyes widened.

_It can't be..._

She looked over his wardrobe. Yellow and Orange. The Air Nomad Colours.

_Yup, that's him._

The boy from earlier spoke up. "Hi...Aang. Thanks for comin'." Taia presumed he was Sokka.

Aang turned from Sokka and the villagers to Taia and the firebenders. Zuko immediately stood up and assumed a firebending stance. That was when Taia stealthily snuck out of the firebenders, not wanting to be apart that fight, and snuck in between Sokka and, who she assumed to be, Katara. Aang was the ready with his staff, surrounded by Zuko and his men. They slowly began to close in, but Aang blew the men on either side of him backwards with blasts of air. He blasted Zuko as well, but he held his ground, shielding his face from the wind.

"Looking for me?" Aang asked taunting.

"You're the airbender? You're the Avatar?" Zuko said shocked.

"Aang?" Katara looked at Aang with wide eyes.

"No way." Sokka mumbled.

"HA! Called it!" Taia yelled out into thin air. It wasn't a good idea because the villagers all jumped not at all realizing the red head fire nation girl had been standing with them. Once all the children saw her, the little boy with the spear from earlier, screamed; "ATTACK!" Taia was overrun with Water Tribe children. They all jumped on her in some sort of way. And then began to tickle her senselessly. She heard in the background as she screamed with fits of laughter.

"I've spent years preparing for this encounter. Training. Meditating. You're just a child!" She heard Zuko's voice say, rather annoyed.

"Well, you're just a teenager." The was from Aang, he sounded insulted. "If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?" She heard from Aang desperately.

"No, Aang! Don't do this!" Katara voice was heard pleading.

"Don't worry, Katara, it'll be okay" He said gently to the Water Tribe girl._ "_Take care of Appa for me until I get back."

"Head a course to the Fire Nation. I'm going home." Zuko spoke to the guard as he began to walk away smiling. He looked to his right, Taia's was being extremely quiet he noted. She wasn't there. He was about to scream her name when he heard he giggling from down with the villagers. "ATTACK!" he heard a little girl scream. Zuko spun around and saw Taia in the snow with tons of children on top of her tickling her. He was shocked.

"TAIA! WE'RE LEAVING!" he yelled.

"Oh yeah. Sorry guys got to leave." She said to the kids. She got up and ran next to Zuko. As she ran away she heard the 'aww's of the children. She was standing next to Zuko and Aang as the door closed and they left the village.

* * *

"This staff will make an excellent gift for my father. I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks. Take the Avatar to the prison hold." Zuko said. He thru the staff in Iroh's face. " And take this to my quarters."

Iroh takes the staff as Zuko walks away. Iroh immediately turns to the guard on his left. "Hey, you mind taking this to his quarters for me?"

The guard toke the staff as Aang was escorted down stairs into the ship. The ship steamed through a narrow strip of water between walls of ice. Once everyone had run inside the boat Taia had come out on the spotting deck. She stood leaning against the bar while she tried to process information into her head. _I shouldn't feel bad, I don't even know him._ Taia sighed and ran her hand trough her hair thinking about the feelings she had begun feeling. _Regret, Betrayal and pain at seeing him chained up._The boy. The Avatar. Taia didn't know why but she was soon taken to theses feelings, confused about them as well.

He body was acting as if he was an old friend from childhood or something but Taia had never seen the arrow headed boy before in her life. I confused her and she didn't like the feeling.

Two strong arms wrapped around Taia's waist making her jump and spin around quickly. It was Zuko. He was smiling.

"We're finally going home! Oh Taia I can't believe it." Taia slowly smiled at the sight before her. Her looked genuinely happy. "I finally have a my honor back!" He said while shaking her a little.

When Zuko shook Taia a piece of her side bangs had fallen in her face. Zuko's eyes softened and with one hand on her waist. Her back to the railing, his chest to hers. He moved the piece gently from her face.

Taia's face grew red and he watched her softly.

"Prince Zuko!" Zuko jumped when he heard his name began called. He had been moving his face down subconsciously and hadn't even realized how close they were until it was too late. Taia didn't seem to notice at all.

"Yes?" Zuko answered annoyed.

"That Avatar has escaped!"

"WHAT?!" Zuko exploded. He turned to Taia who was smirking.

"Go get him." he sighed in relief and lunged at her. He left her red in the face with a quick peck on the cheek. Taia sighed as she turned back to where she was before.

_Then of course i have to count my new feelings for Zuko...WHY AM I THINKING LIKE THIS!?_

She cotemplated hitting her head against the railing but thought against it. A few seconds passed and she heard foot steps behind her. "I see you got him that quickly huh, Zuko." Taia said and turned around, her widened as Aang airbended himself next to her. He looked side to side, stoping to look at Taia for a second.

"You're not trying to catch me?"

"It's not my job to catch you."

Aang smiled slightly. "Thanks," He opened his glider, thru it into the air and jumped after it. He cached it, a happy expression on his face. Unfortunately, behind him, Zuko, who had been chasing him, got on deck just as Aang jumped and jumped after him in pursuit. With a fierce cry of desperation, he grabbed Aang's foot. They both got up and squared off again. Aang's look of trepidation was tempered when he turned over his left shoulder to see a flying beast up in the sky gaining on Zuko's ship.

"What is that?" Zuko and Taia asked in sync.

Taia could on top of the flying beast was Sokka and Katara, the Water Tribe villagers. It looked like they were gonna save Aang.

"Appa!" Aang yelled at the flying creature. Aang turned just in time to use his staff to block a fire blast from Zuko. He used his staff as a helicopter to escape the blasts and came back down on the edge of the deck, almost falling overboard. He regained his balance and blew three more fireballs before his staff was knocked away from him. He dodged a few more blasts before he was finally knocked overboard. Aang fell into the water below.

"Aang! No!" Katara was heard as she screamed high in the air. "Aang! Aang! AANG!"

Taia stood on the edge of the ship where Aang had fallen staring at the water. She could see his limp motionless body going deeper and deeper into the water. That was until the water began to have an eerie glow. He turned around in the water, showing Taia his eyes and arrows glowing a bright white, and began to rise towards the surface. Around him, a mighty whirlpool of water began to form. Aang, was at the center of a monstrous, inverted tornado of water propelled toward the surface at amazing speed. He broke the surface in front of the ship, towering high over the bridge atop his swirling maelstrom of water. Zuko, looked up at the swirling column of water and the Avatar at its pinnacle with dismay and fear. Aang landed on the deck, his eyes still aglow, and bended the water from the column around him in circle. He released it and it expanded outward in a shockwave that blasted Zuko, Taia (who was watching the entire thing in shock) and his men overboard. Sokka and Katara witnessing the scene from from the sky monster's back.

Taia fell into the freezing cold water, pins and needles in the body from the shock of the cold. She watched the ship from the water.

Aang was on the foredeck. He was on his knees, wobbling after the huge energy expenditure. He fell forward, the white energy fading from his eyes and tattoos. His beast landed and Katara and Sokka jumped off to retrieve him.

"Aang! Are you okay?" Katara asked worriedly. She began kneeling and holding Aang, Sokka beside her.

"Hey Katara. Hey Sokka. Thanks for coming." He mumbled, obviously tired.

"Well, I couldn't let you have all the glory." Sokka said proudly.

"I dropped my staff." Aang looked around but Sokka's eye caught it first.  
"Got it!"

Sokka ran over to pick up the staff. As he picked it up, Sokka was shocked to see that Zuko held the other end of it. Zuko was washed overboard, but held onto the part of Aang's staff that was hanging out over the deck. Sokka hit Zuko in the head with the staff three times to the same thing he had to done to him earlier. Zuko let go and began to fall to the water below, but grabbed the anchor chain in time. He hung by one hand.

"Ha! That's from the Water Tribe!" Sokka yelled down.

Aang and the others quickly left after Sokka having to free himself from another Katara water bending mishap. Taia who just been floating in the water with guards was frozen cold and was starting to have her hair frost. Her lips were turning blue and her teeth were chattering at an unhealthy speed. Once Zuko was helped out of the water she was next. Water and her didn't get along very well. Especially, cold water. It's not that she hated it. She was more allergic to it. It made her bending weak. _Her _weak. Zuko and Iroh, who had woken from his nap (_finally..._) were in front of her talking.

She couldn't hear very well, all she heard was the beating of her heart. She stared at the plow of ice on the ship which the Avatar had done. Zuko looking annoyed turned along with Iroh. They both saw Taia right away. Both moved to help her but it was to late. The young Sun Spirit had fallen to ground unconscious, her body twitching, lips a dark blue, hair white with frost and her skin slowly turning to ice. The last thing she heard before going into the darkness was Zuko's voice screaming her name.

* * *

**Ooooh Clifhanger, don't worry I'm not a meanie that kills off her Main OC in the second chapter. **

**I think i should explain to you why she collapsed like that, she's allergic to really cold weather and water. It's really hard to beieve i know. But once the heat leaves her body she's uterly defensless and she needs to find warmth somewhere. If not she can die.**

**There is a cure to this which will be put into the story later on but for will not be mentioned until later on in Book One.**

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed, Please Subscribe/Comment/Favourite and i'll see you next time!**


	4. Chapter Three: The Southern Air Temple

**Wow you guys honestly rule! Now, today I felt like writing a long chapter. *Presents with a flurish* Hope you enjoy!**

**Big thanks to; **CourtingTheMoon**, **Nicole (Guest), Momo da Munkee (Guest), The Nett-Chan and Ali (Guest) **for Reviewing! I love feedback, so this helps me lot!**

**Also a shout out to; **Aims5, floor476, ToxicFireStarter, ** and finally **The Nett-Chan** for Alerting/Favouriting this Story. Thanks so much!**

**Finally;**

Momo da Munkee**: Yes, I did, know that Tai Yang is Sun in Chinese. I thought I'd name her that for fun, and honestly, I think that same suits her perfectedly. I'm super duper happy somebody realised the translation! **

**Now, on with the Show! (Or, book/story/show thing...)**

* * *

Zuko and Iroh were in the Fire Nation naval yard. Tents and buildings lined the right side of the screen, ships lined the left and what looks like a railroad line runned down the middle. Zuko's damaged ship, was much smaller than the other Fire Nation ships. The prow of Zuko's ship has been opened, its spout lying on the floor of the navy yard.

"Wait up!" Taia yelled as they walked ahead. Iroh and Zuko stopped and waited until she was walking in between them. "Just because I'm all healthy now doesn't mean that you run down the walkway!" Taia said accusingly at Zuko, mock glaring at him. He half smiled and looked at his Uncle. His face soon became serious.

"Uncle, I want the repairs made as quickly as possible. I don't want to stay too long and risk losing his trail." he said sternly. Taia grabbed his hand and squeezed it, he was thinking to much about that everything. The ship, the Avatar, her Health, it made her worried.

"You mean the Avatar?" Iroh asked, casually looking around the bay.

"Don't mention his name on these docks! Once word gets out that he's alive every firebender will be out looking for him and I don't want anyone getting in the way." Zuko turned on his Uncle angrily. "Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?" Taia heard a low rough voice, one she'd heard many times back in the Fire Nation. _Captain Zhao..._

Zuko, Taia and Iroh turn to face the voice with surprised expressions. They watched as Zhao approached them, still speaking. Zhao was a cruel, selfish man who didn't care about anyone but himself. And Taia hated him. Zhao walked up to the trio with his hands are clasped behind his back authoritatively and a patronizing smirk across his smile.

"Captain Zhao." Zuko said with obvious distaste. He let go a Taia's hand and crossed his arms in front of him, in a defensive move.

"It's Commander now. And General Iroh," he corrected Zuko and turned to Iroh, bowing to him respectfully. "great hero of our nation."

"Retired general." Iroh corrected Iroh, flattered.

"The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcome guests any time. What brings you to my harbor?" Zhao asked curiosity.

"Our ship is being repaired." Iroh answered while motioning to the ship behind them. "That's quite a bit of damage." Zhao's eye widened as he took in the ship's wreckage.

"Yes... you wouldn't believe what happened." Zuko gave his uncle a sideways glance and immediately passed the buck. "Uncle! Tell Commander Zhao what happened." he order nervously.

Iroh's eyes went wide and he looked around for someone to make up a lie. His eyes landed on his innocent Ward.

"Actually, i think that Taia tells the story best don't you?" Iroh said casually wrapping his arm around Taia's annoyed form. She glared at Iroh and then at Zuko who began nodding quickly. Taia sighed and then looked Zhao right the eyes and said without faltering; "We'll Uncle, who's obsessed with looking at the wonders of the world wanted us to go see the celestial lights in the South Pole. On our way there one of the crewmen thought he saw a penguin leep in front of ship when i was going at full speed because Iroh here," she motioned to her Uncle quickly and then returned to her well thought out lie. "didn't want to be late to see them. So the captain, who for some reason forgot that penguins can swim underneath the ship, panicked and turned it quickly so we wouldn't hit the penguin." Taia then sighed. "And we crashed in an Iceberg." She finished faking a look of annoyance. Iroh and Zuko staring at in shock mouth agape. Actually, Zuko's was hanging open a bit actually. Iroh made a note to get Taia to lie for them when they needed a believeable lie, she was pretty good. Even they believed her.

"Really? You must regale me with all the thrilling details." Zhao got his face close to Zuko's menacingly. "Join me for a drink?" Zuko smiled grimly.

"Sorry, but we have to go." Zuko and Taia both turned to leave, but Iroh placed a hand on each of their shoulders and stopped them.

"Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect." Iroh said turning to Zhao. "We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favorite."

Zuko growled in frustration and released fire from his fists angrily as he turned to follow Zhao and Iroh down the dock. Taia walking stiffly with her right eye twitching.

* * *

Iroh, Zuko and Taia were sitting in a particularly large tent, with a prominent Fire Nation symbol on it. Two guards, flanked by large standing firepots, stood at the ready in front of the tent. Commander Zhao was standing a little far away from them, inspecting a large map of the world upon the wall.

"And by year's end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule." Zhao finished.

Iroh was inspecting a stand of weapons on the left and Zuko and Taia were sitting in two of the three chairs in front of Zhao. Zhao turned to Zuko.

"The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war."  
"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool." Zuko said quietly. Zhao sat in the other chair next to Zuko.

"Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue." Zhao paused. "So, how is your search for the Avatar going?"

Iroh tipped over the stand of weapons he had been examining in the background. Iroh cringed at the mess he had just made. At the same time Taia who had been warming up her hands, which were still cold from the South Pole, had accidentally caught her glove on fire. Quickly putting it out she looked around the tent to see if anyone had seen her mishap. No one did. She took in a relived breath.

"My fault entirely." Iroh said embarrassed.

He sheepishly backed away. Zhao watched him move.

"We haven't found him yet." Zuko answsered.

"Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago along with the rest of the airbenders."

Zuko averted his eyes guiltily. Zhao looked at Zuko eagerly. "Unless you found some evidence that the Avatar is alive."

"No. Nothing." Zuko responded looking away.

"Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war." Zhao stood up from his chair. "If you have an ounce," he leaned his face into Zuko's. "Of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you've found."

"I haven't found anything. It's like you said. The Avatar probably died a long time ago. Come on, Uncle, Taia, we're going." He said defiant.

Zuko got up, quickly followed by Taia, and tried to exit but were blocked by the guards, crossing their spears in front of them. Another guard approached Zhao to deliver a report.

"Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape." He said looking proud of his information.

**"**Now, remind me..." Zhao began. He walked behind Taia and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"... how exactly was your ship damaged?" Taia and Zuko both looked down in defeat.

They had been caught.

* * *

Zhao crossed in front of the seated and clearly unhappy Prince Zuko and Lady Tai Yang. Her eye was twitching an unhealthy pace. A pair of guards stood behind the young duo.

"So, a twelve-year-old boy bested you and your firebenders? You're more pathetic than I thought." Zhao laughed. Iroh sat down not to far away watching the scene before him.

"I underestimated him once, but it will not happen again."

"No, it will not, because you won't have a second chance." Zhao responded with a smirk.

"Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I..." Zuko was interrupted by Zhao turned on him angrily, flames erupted from his hands as he swept it in an arc from left to right.

"And you failed!" he yelled. Zhao towered of Zuko.

"Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager's hands. He's mine now." Zhao sneered.

Zuko launched himself at Zhao in frustration and anger, but was restrained by the two guards standing behind his chair. "Zuko!" Taia yelled in shock.

"Keep them here." Zhao ordered the guards.

Zuko frustrated beyond compare, kicked over a small table that had been sitting near Iroh. It broke into pieces. Taia who was standing in the corner was trying to control her anger. Steam could be seen coming off the palms of her gloves. Iroh watched the scene calmly.

"More tea please?" He asked the guards politely.

* * *

Zhao approached the exterior of the large tent, opened the flaps and entered. Two guards standing ready inside the entrance drawed their spears back.

"My search party is ready." Zhao said smugly. The trio was sitting in chairs facing each other.

"Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you'll be free to go." Zhao explaining to the three.

"Why? Are you worried I'm going to try and stop you?" Zuko taunted.

"You? Stop me? Impossible." Zhao laughed at Zuko. "Don't underestimate me, Zhao. I will capture the Avatar before you." Zuko said standing up.

"Prince Zuko, that's enough!" Iroh stood up also. Taia sat there watching with wide eyes, scared for her best friend.

"You can't compete with me. I have hundreds of warships under my command, and you... you're just a banished prince. No home. No allies. Your own father doesn't even want you." Zhao responded.

"You're wrong. Once I deliver the Avatar to my father he will welcome me home with honor and restore my rightful place on the throne." Zuko glared at the Commander.

"If your father really wanted you home, he'd have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar, but in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation." Zhao snapped.

"That's not true." Zuko said, his teeth clenched.

"You have the scar to prove it."

"Maybe you'd like one to match!" With a cry of indignation Zuko launched himself to his feet and brought his face up to Zhao's.

Zhao stiffened. "Is that a challenge?"

"An agni kai. At sunset." Taia gasped and stood up from her chair, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes.

"Very well. It's a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle will do." Zhao smirked and looked at Taia. "Oh and i almost forgot, I get to humiliate you in front of her as well." He turned back to Zuko smirking. "Your little whore." With a cry of anger Zuko grabbed Zhao by the collar ready to send a blast of fire into his face.

"ZUKO!" Zuko stopped and looked at Taia. She looked frightened and sad and disappointed. She shook her head. "Not now. Sunset." Zuko's eyes softened when he saw the tears going down her cheeks. He let go of Zhao, not looking at him.

Zhao turned and walked out of the tent, clearly a little shaken. The guards followed him leaving the trio alone in the tent. Zuko frozen as he watched Taia brokenheartedly. As soon as the tent flap closed, Taia let it all out. She let out a loud wail and let all her tears out, expressing the pain she was in. Zuko ran to her as she began to cry. As he put his arms around her she leaned into him, soaking his shirt with tears.

Iroh, who had been watching silently, spoke up. "Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened last time you duelled a master?"

Zuko looked up from Taia as she put her face in the crook of his neck. He had a pained expression on his face. "I will never forget."

* * *

They were in a Fire Nation arena, a simple four-walled structure with watch fires on the four towers at each corner. There was one large open gate. The sunset was a glorious mixture of Fire Nation hues: red, orange, and yellow. Zhao and Zuko were kneeling, preparing for battle, Zhao with four of his men in attendance, Zuko with Taia and his uncle.

"Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko. They are your greatest weapons." Iroh said confidently.

"I refuse to let him win." Zuko said standing up. Taia who had been quiet before ran to him. She thru her arms around his neck. Zuko stiffened but then quickly put his arms around her waist. "Don't worry, i won't disappoint you again." he whispered in her ear.

She pulled away from him a little to look in his eyes. "You've never disappointed me. I'm just worried that you'll get hurt," Zuko opened his mouth to say something but she quickly put two of her fingers on his lips to silence him. "And i shouldn't be...You're an amazing firebender, and my best friend. You don't need to promise me you'll be coming back, 'cause i know you will. Just..." Taia trailed off, looked behind him at the sunset and let her eyes return back to his. Taia then placed a soft and quick kiss on Zuko's lips. His eyes widened and she smirked. "Kick his ass."

After a few milliseconds he let it sink in and and nodded.

Iroh watched the scene near the wall with a knowing smile on his face.

_Last time she... _

Zuko blinked and tried to clear his head. Zuko let his shoulder wrap fall to the ground ceremoniously as Zhao did the same.

"This will be over quickly." Zhao gloated.

A gong sounded. Both men faced each other and assumed firebending stances. Zuko fired the first shot which passed harmlessly to Zhao's left. He fired again; that time it passed without effect to Zhao's right. Zuko fired several more, the last of which Zhao blocked, satisfaction evident on his face. Frustrated and losing control of his breath, Zuko moved towards his opponent, unleashing more fire from both his hands and feet. Zhao dodged and blocked them all. Zhao then crouched forward and shot flame at a point on the ground that was close in front of him.

Taia and Iroh were watching anxiously.

"Basics, Zuko! Break his root!" Iroh yelled.

Taia couldn't say a thing. She was to worried. She knew that he wouldn't get hurt. He promised her that years ago. She kept running the memory in her mind to keep her sane.

_Taia woke up to the sound of Zuko practising outside the tent. She slowly got out of her tent, making sure she was quiet, not wanting to wake any of the guards or Iroh. He'd be worried, she knew that._ _As soon as she walked out of the tent she was overcome with the cool air. It wasn't freezing, just chilly. She'd live._ _Walking quietly towards Zuko's practising area. _

_She caught a glimpse of him firebending at a make shift target. Taia leaned against the tree next to her and watched him for a while. _

_His breath was out of control, he wasn't hitting where he aimed and he was just shooting out from anger. At one point he began crying while throwing fire thru his fists at the crooked tree stump. His face was contorted in anger with a huge bandage on his newly scarred face._ _Tears went down his cheeks. _

_Zuko stopped firebending and fell to his knees. Taia moved to run to him but was stopped by his voice. "I'm so sorry. I promised you i would win and i..."_

"_I couldn't care less whether you had won or loused. Just that you're okay." Taia ran to his side and got on her knees. _

_She put her hand on his shoulder and tried to turn his face to her. But the fourteen year old kept his face away from her. "Look at me." He his eyes away from her. "_Please_" she begged._

_Zuko turned his eyes towards his best friend. She didn't look at him with disgust like he feared. Just sad, sad eyes. She was also slowly shivering. Zuko suddenly realized the temperature had severely dropped while they __were talking._

"_You!" Taia stared shocked at him for raising his voice. What are you doing out here in the cold?" You know better than that. Zuko took off his coat and thru it around her shoulders gently. "You have to take better care of yourself."_ _Taia grabbed Zuko's hand once it left her shoulder._

_ "Only if you do too." She mumbled quickly._

"_What?" Taia stared at Zuko's hand while he stared at her._

"_I'll take of myself better if you do too. And that means no more getting hurt." Taia looked up. "Promise me!"_ _Zuko squeezed her hand. _

_"I promise." he said quietly. __His tears had stopped by then and he was just watching her intently. _

_Not a second later Taia had put her lips on his with an urgency. She kept her lips on his for a short amount of time but when their lips were touching Zuko's heart beat began to race and his eyes closed as he kissed her back. When Taia pulled back Zuko's eyes had been closed and held a dreamy look on his face. She pulled her hands away from his shirt, which she had been holding during the kiss._ _Zuko opened his eye slowly to see a smiling Taia. _

_"We should probably go to bed, now." she spoke quietly. Zuko nodded and then both walked back to the campsite. When Taia got back into the tent she realized that she was still wearing his coat. She smiled and lied down._

_That night was Taia got three things; a coat, a promise and a realization that she loved her best friend. _

Taia blinked and returned to reality. He made a promise, and he would keep it. Zhao fired many volleys of flame, alternating between his fists. Zuko blocked each, but was slowly forced back. On the last volley Zhao used both of his hands, knocking Zuko over and sending him skidding backwards in the dirt. Taia jumped at that visual. Zhao toke a flying jump at him. Zhao landed as Zuko tried to get up, but he wasn't fast enough. Zhao fired right at him. Zuko rolled out of the way just in time, as he got up he swept Zhao's feet out from under him.

Zuko landed on his feet. A slight smile appeared Zuko's face. Zuko advanced towards Zhao, using his feet to produce small waves of flame that rushed toward his opponent. Zhao was caught off balance and wobbled slowly backward. Iroh stood watching, fists clenched in an expression of hope, a smile beginning to spread over his face. Taia breathless and wide eyed watched the scene as well.

Zuko had finally laid Zhao out flat on the ground with a blast of fire. Zuko rushed up to him, prepared to deal the final blow. But he froze.

"Do it!" Zhao yelled at Zuko.

Zuko released a blast of fire. He stood erect, and dropped his fighting stance. Taia could see a smoking hole in the ground, and, clearly very much unharmed, next to the hole.

"That's it? Your father raised a coward." Zhao accused.

"Next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back." Zuko threatened.

Zuko turned his back and began to walk toward Taia who had a huge smile on her face. Zhao got up and, with a howl of anger, unleashed a whip of flame at Zuko. But the flame coming from Zhao's foot stopped when Iroh placed his hand on the Commander's boot. Iroh had moved between them to stop the dishonourable attack. They remained frozen for a moment before Iroh hurled Zhao back into the dirt with little effort. Zuko rushed to avenge the insult, but was stopped by his uncle.

"No, Prince Zuko. Do not taint your victory."

Iroh turned to face Zhao, a look of condescension on his face.

"So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat. Disgraceful." Iroh said in disgust. "Even in exile my nephew is more honorable than you." Zuko looked at his uncle in surprise at this comment. "Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious."

Iroh moved to leave and Zuko followed close behind. Taia the last one to leave the gate, glaring at Zhao. With subdued anger, Zhao watched them exit the gate of the arena. Outside, Zuko and Iroh talked.

"Did you really mean that, Uncle?" Zuko asked quietly. "Of course. I told you ginseng tea is my favorite." Iroh said slyly. Taia walked in between them holding each one of their hands as the final seconds of sunset floated in the sky, a big smile on her face.

He kept his Promise.

* * *

**So that was the loely Chapter 3, I hoped you enjoyed it.**

**Now i know that many of you will be slightly confused as to why Taia broke down in the tent. I'll explain: The last time Zuko had fought in an Agni Kai, he lost himself and got badly injured, making her worry for him. Even though he made the Promise she is still protective of him. So when he said he was gonna do another Agni Kai, put that in with a lot of pent of emotions and the tears she'd been holding for a couple of weeks, she kinda needed a break down. i know I would have.**

Alert, Review and Favourite and See you next time!


	5. Chapter Four: The Warriors of Kyoshi

**Holy this is the shortest Chapter I've ever writen. :S Am i losign the mojo?...Nahhhh. :3**

**Big Thanks to; **CourtingTheMoon** and **Momo da Munkee** for reviewing! You two rule! :D**

**Also to; **annabannana98** and **novaquinn56** for Favrouting! **

**Now to the Chapie!**

* * *

The star filled evening sky looked peaceful, Taia noted, as she watched it from the front of the ship, cool air blowing thru her hair. "Dear?" Taia turned around where Iroh was standing. "I'm going to go tell Zuko that we can't find the Avatar. I think I'll need some backup on this one don't you think, Rose Blossom?" Iroh said with a glint in his eyes.

Taia smirking nodded and closely followed him as they walked up to Zuko's quarters. Iroh slowly opened to door for Taia. She rolled her eyes and walked in first and Iroh slowly followed her. Zuko was sitting in the lotus position in front of an altar. Four white candles were burning in front of him. The light from the candles increased and decreased with Zuko's rhythmic breathing. His face was calm and concentrated.

"The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have news about the Avatar." he said in a dangerously silky voice.

Iroh begins playing with the map in his hands. "Well, there is news, Prince Zuko, but you might not like it. Don't get too upset."

"Uncle, you taught me that keeping a level head is a sign of a great leader. Now whatever you have to say, I'm sure that I can take it." Zuko said calmly. Taia giggled quietly and went to lie down on Zuko's bed stealthily. She got underneath his blankets and turned on her side to watch them.

Iroh took a deep breath. "Okay, then... we have no idea where he is."

"WHAT?!"

The four candles flared to the ceiling with Zuko's wrath. He stood quickly and turned around to face Iroh, his anger evident on his face. Iroh turned away from the flames and raised his right arm to protect his face. As the flames subsided, he pulled a fan out of his robes.

Iroh began quickly fanning himself."You really should open a window in here." Taia shrugged. She didn't mind it. She actually liked it, warm and toasty.

Zuko snatched the map from Iroh. "Give me the map!"

Zuko opened the rolled scroll and began to study it. Iroh continued to fan himself looking at Taia as if she was crazy for wearing so many layers. He then looked at Zuko.

"There have been multiple sightings of the Avatar, but he is impossible to track down." Iroh explained.

"How am I gonna find him, Uncle?" Zuko asked looking at the scroll. The map was marked with circled Xs and dotted lines connecting the reported Avatar sightings. The lines zigzagged all over the landmass drawings.

"He is clearly a master of evasive maneuvering." Zuko explained himself.

Taia raised her eyebrow as she looked at the map they were holding across the room. "They look lost." she said stumped. Zuko turned to speak but stopped when he saw her in his bad. "Taia, when did you get in my bed?!"

* * *

"The Avatar's on Kyoshi Island?" Zuko got up angrily and walked out of the room while speaking to Iroh. "Uncle, ready the rhinos. He's not getting away from me this time."

Iroh was sitting at the dinner table with the steaming hot plate of fish in front of him. Taia was taking a nap in another room. Zuko walked off to go inform her of the news. Iroh turned towards the doorway and, pointing at the fish, began to speak.

"Are you going to finish that?"

Zuko walked angrily back into the room to the dinner table and grabbed the fish off of the table.

"I was going to save it for later!" Zuko then stormed out of the dining room with his meal.

Leaving Iroh, arms crossed in annoyance and pouting at not getting to eat the fish. LINE When Zuko's ship landed at Kyoshi Island, Taia was anxiously waiting.. The prow was let down and Zuko rode out of the hull on the back of a war rhinoceros. He was accompanied by many men also on on rhino mounts.

"I want the Avatar alive." Zuko told the guards.

Zuko and his army marched towards Kyoshi. Taia walked behind them.

Taia, followed them wearing her usual outfit. Zuko and the rest of the firebenders entered the town. The streets were deserted.

"Come out, Avatar! You can't hide from me forever!" Zuko turned to his men. "Find him." Zuko ordered.

Zuko's army began to search the town for Aang. The three war rhinos moved forward as they proceed down the main street of the village.

Some fan warriors came running and attacked Zuko's army. One of them, her headdress more prominent then the others, the Leader headed directly for Zuko. As she was about to land on him, he turned his rhinoceros and she was swatted out of the air by its tail. As she hit the ground, Zuko aimed a fire blast at her. Sokka stepped in between her and the fire ball, deflecting it. Zuko, taken by surprise, fell off his rhinoceros.

"I guess training's over." Sokka said simply.

The girl, Sokka, and another warrior cautiously approach the prone Zuko. Zuko spun around on his hands shooting fire bolts out of his feet at the approaching warriors. He knocked them all to the ground and pulled himself to his feet. Zuko leaped to the middle of the street.

"Nice try, Avatar! But these little girls can't save you."

"Hey! Over here!" Aang yelled.

"Finally!"

Zuko and Aang faced each other, "High Noon" style.

At this point Taia was just standing watching everything dumbfounded. She heard slight crying as Zuko and Aang began to fight. She decided to see who was crying, Zuko and Aang could take care of themselves. Taia knew Aang wouldn't hurt Zuko.

When she walked behind a house she saw a little girl crying softly. Taia approached her slowly. The little girl watched with big scared eyes.

"Hey," Taia said softly. "Are you okay?" The little girl cried even harder as she shook her head.

"No, I can't find my mom!" The little girl looked about six or seven and looked like she could protect herself, but she was scared and Taia couldn't stand to see the little girl cry. Taia grabbed the little girls hand.

"Come on, let's find your mom." The little girl nodded and slowly got up with Taia. They walked around the corners of the village hoping no one would see them. Taia knew there would be a reaction if a fire nation girl was seen with a Kyoshi child. The little girl, who's name was Min, stopped in front of a big mansion. They could both hear people talking thru the window. One of them was a women.

"Have you seen Min? Oh goodness where is she?!" the woman sounded frantic. Min beamed and hugged Taia. She then ran off and into the big house. She realized that she'd been gone for a while. Taia ran off looking for Zuko and the firebenders.

* * *

She found Zuko and his men near the ship. He was watching the bison fly away with it's three passengers.

"Back to the ship! Don't lose sight of them!" He yelled at his men. Taia sighed. He didn't even notice she was gone. She smiled as he ran off to the ship. Aang and the others were already to far way to catch up with, but she decided she'd play along. For Zuko's sake.

* * *

**Ya, this is pretty short, i know. Don't worry though. My goal is to make each chaoter at LEAST 2000 words long. So next chapter should be interesting.**

**Love y'all!**

**Review/Favourite/Alert**


	6. Chapter Five: The King of Omashu

**Hawwo! This is just another short, sadly, fluffy chapter. This one is mostly just fluff. I hope you enjoy.**

**Thanks to; **Momo da Munkee**, **lovelikewoe13** and **ROXY1830** for commenting, y'all rock!**

**Also Big thanks to; **Lee Ami**, **CourtingTheMoon**,** pabu'swatertribegirl**, **lovelikewoe13**, **He4artBreaker101** for Favouriting! I feel so loved!**

**And to; **pabu'swatertribegir**l, **CurleyNai**,** LadawnTheLiar**, **ROXY1830** and to **MasonJ** for Following!**

Momo da Munkee**: Well, as to your question, I try to update everyday but sometimes i can't. Like this weekend for example. But i do update every 1-3 days. That's for sure. **

**Now to the story:**

* * *

"Are you gonna breath?" Iroh asked Taia as she practically inhaled her breakfast. She glared at his with cheeks so full she looked like a buttermunk. Zuko was eating just as fast but wasn't saying a thing about it.

Taia swallowed slowly, while glaring at her Guardian. "I don't want to hear it Iroh. I will eat my food like I want." She went back to her bowl of rice and began stuffing her face again.

Zuko laughed at Iroh's shocked face. Iroh had lately been picking on Taia with simple things, her hair, her clothes and finally her habits. Iroh was trying to look out of Taia but she wouldn't have it. Whenever he'd try to encourage her to wear dress or give her advice on how to sit straight she'd just glare at him and walk away or just continue what she'd been doing before.

Iroh huffed; "How are you ever gonna married with that attitude?" He spilled out without a thought. In sync Zuko and Taia spit taked their rice and looked at Iroh with horrified expressions on their faces. "What?" Iroh looked at them confused.

"MARRIED!? SHE IS TOO YOUNG TO GET MARRIED UNCLE!" Zuko boomed out while Taia just stared at Iroh, mouth agape. Iroh chuckled at his nephews reaction.

"Actually, Taia is sixteen. Which is the legal age of marriage, remember?" Iroh responded with a smirk.

Zuko slammed the rice bowl he had been holding on the table and yelled out a sound of annoyance, "I don't care if she's forty! She will not be doing it!"

That took Taia out of her shocked state. "Hey! How is this your choice!? It's me who Iroh is trying to sell off!"

"Not really sell, just try to make you find love."

"I don't care what you think your doing Uncle! She will not be getting married!" Zuko stood up as he yelled at his Uncle.

"That's it! Zuko how is this your choice, huh? Stay out of my business!" Taia stood up herself red in the face.

Iroh looked hopeful. "So you'll consider it?"

"NO!" Taia stomped out of the room grabbing her rice, steam coming off her gloves in the process.

* * *

Zuko and Taia had been avoiding each other. Iroh could tell. But there are just so many places any one can hide on a boat.

Taia was watching the water like she usually did when she was deep in thought or angry. Steam was coming off her hands as she gripped the railing. The metal around her palms was slightly red.

_Why is he such a jerk? It's my life! I don't want to get married but i can say so myself! Grrr... _Taia fumed.

Iroh slowly approached his daughter. "You know he does care for you? That's why he did what he did?" Taia didn't seem to be surprised at his appearance. Iroh loved to play matchmaker.

"I know." She whispered. Iroh heard her though. "It's just..." Taia trailed off, shaking her head.

"You can't explain it or you just don't want to?"

Taia looked Iroh eyes widening. "Your feelings for Zuko. I can you have some. And so can you. But what are those feelings."

Taia got confused. "Isn't it obvious!?"

Iroh motioned for her to continue.

"Angry! Annoyed! Hurt!" Taia ranted.

Iroh stopped her short. He raised a hand and began."That's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mea-" Taia's eyes widened as Iroh's words went through her mind. Her face got red instantly. "I'M GOING TO BED!" Taia yelled and ran to her room.

* * *

Meanwhile, Zuko was laying down in bed fuming. At this time he's usually have Taia on his chest sleeping, but she was the reason he was angry so he doubted that was possible.

All sorts of thoughts were going through Zuko's mind and for once they weren't about the Avatar.

To him, Taia was being strange. First, her reaction about catching the Avatar the first time.

_She didn't even seem happy..._

Second was the kiss. The first time she'd kissed him was years ago. And to him it was out of thanks. He didn't mind, to be honest Zuko always loved Taia. From the first moment he saw her. He smiled slightly but stopped himself and kept thinking.

The kiss...was unexpected. And he felt something too. From her. A spark of some kind. It confused Zuko. And he didn't like the feeling.

Third was her reaction at dinner. Why would she care if he said she couldn't get married. And she never snapped at him. Did she...perhaps, what to get married? Zuko shook his head. He didn't want to think that way. Not then, not ever.

* * *

Taia was awakened by a sudden loud noise. Thunder.

"AHH!" She screamed and hid underneath her blankets. The thunder continued for another minute with Taia in that position. Taia couldn't handle it really quickly and ran out of room urgently.

She didn't even knock on the door when she got to her destination. She just walked in and ran to the bed and person currently trying to sleep. She quickly went underneath the cover and cuddled with the person affectionately.

Taia closed her eyes and slowly felt peace.

Zuko smiled. "Does this mean you forgive me?" Taia's mouth slowly smiled herself. She put her arms around his waist and used his chest as a pillow getting comfortable.

"Shut up." Taia and Zuko soon fell asleep, calm and happy.

* * *

**Hehe, I love fluffy chapters like this. Even though I like to think of myself as not a corny writer, I sometimes write stuff like this and I have to admit I can't help it! :3 Anyways love you guys and see you next time!**

**Alert, Review and Favourite!**


	7. Chapter Six: Imprisoned

**Hey Guys! Sorry for the Delay! My mom sorta banished me from fanfiction for a few days. She thinks I have some sort of "Obssession", nah it's just a minor Addiction. I'm kidding! (sorta) But, I was super happy to see all these notifications from my story when I logged on!**

**Thanks so much to; **CourtingTheMoon**, **Momo da Munkee** and **Silent** (Guest) for Reviewing! You guys are awesome!**

**Thank you to; **PercyJacksonFan56**, **justcallme-b-e-u-tiful**, **KrisDawnRulez**, **Ihavealittlechocolateaddicti on** (Best Pen Name Ever!) and to **GoldenGyrfalcon** for Following the Story!**

**Finally to; **AgnetCoCo** and to **xxFixMexx** for Favourting! **

**You guys all rock and your notifications brought a huge smile to my face! Anyways here is your chapter (A little but more fluff) and I hope you like it!**

* * *

The next couple of days were quite peaceful for Taia. She practised firebending, got beaten at Pong Sho by Iroh, drank tea, made fun of Zuko. She loved it. But all good things had to end.

That's what Taia was thinking when she heard that Zuko had gone off with Iroh to some sort of Prison to check out a link to the Avatar. They were going to be gone for three days and the ship was docked into a fire nation colony village, Taia forgot the name.

She'd be stuck in it for three days and she thought it would be boring as hell. Taia glared at the dinner that was put in front of her by the cook. Why didn't they bring her?

It was getting old.

Soon, they would be leaving her on a colony for life! She bristled. Well, not really. She knew Iroh, and that was another reason she was angry.

Taia got up quickly and walked outside of the dinning room leaving her dinner on the table. She walked to the ships deck and leaned against the railing, staring at the water as her hands began to steam. The deck which had been full with most of the crew before was empty and quiet now.

Even if her and Iroh were still spending time together she was still, well, peeved. Since that night on the boat and the talk about her marriage she had been avoiding spending time with Zuko and Iroh in the same room as her. Them apart was fine, but when Iroh was in the same room and the duo, he'd always give Taia knowing looks that pissed her off and she would always catch Zuko about to yell at his Uncle for the obvious reasons.

Taia was somehow a little relieved as well, that she'd get some time alone without Zuko by her side 24/7. He'd been like that since the first time he'd saw her. Always around her. She'd gotten so used to him always being around , almost every memory of her childhood at the Palace was with Zuko.

"_So what should I call you? Prince Iroh or maybe Papa?I called all the Fire Sages back at the Temple Papa. They didn't mind. What about you? Huh?" The young two year old walked hand in hand with Iroh through the gardens. _

_Taia had been there since early that morning and was already enjoying every moment of it. _

_Iroh chuckled. "Well...what do you want to call me?" Iroh was watching Taia intently. _

How could this little angel be the all powerful Sun Spirit? _Iroh thought to himself. He smirked and watched his Ward crinkle her nose as thought hard._

"_Well, I don't think i could call you Papa, that's what i call the Fire Sages...And I don't think i could call you Father, it's too formal. Ack!" Taia fake gagged. "Maybe one day I'll call you Daddy, but i think I'll just call you Iroh for now on. Okay?" _

_Iroh smiled and nodded. "Alright, Rose Blossom."_

"_Uncle, Uncle! Zula took my toy and won't give it..." A young Zuko rant o his Uncle. He stopped talking and looked at Taia speechless. "...back." Zuko's eyes were shocked and mouth was agape. _

_Iroh chuckled. "Zuko, this is Tai Yang. She'll be living with me from now on." Taia was to happy to complain about her name. She was smiling ear to ear._

"_Hi!" she squealed and thru her arms around his neck. Zuko was dumbfounded. "It's so good to have another kid around! We can play all the time right?" Taia grabbed Zuko's hands in her own and looked at him expectantly. _

"_Well-I-uh..." Zuko was speechless. He just stared at the red head in front of him. Zuko blinked and gulped. _

"_Hehe, you're funny!" Taia hopped a little still holding his hands. Zuko seemed to notice this and his face began to get red. Taia giggled._

_Iroh watched the exchange and smiled. _

This is going to be interesting...

"_Well?" Taia was looking at Iroh expectantly. _

_Iroh shook his head and looked at his Ward focused. "What was that Rose Blossom?" Taia huffed and pouted._

"_Can Zuko and I go play?" _

_Iroh chuckled. "Go ahead."_

"_YAAAAAAAAY!" Taia yelled as she ran away with a shocked Zuko hand in hand._

Very interesting...

* * *

"_Oh wow! A duck pond!" Taia dragged Zuko to the small pond where two small ducks were swimming peacefully. When they got close she sat down and began to watch them. Zuko just stood there awkwardly. _

_Taia giggled and pulled her new friend down to sit next to her. "So, your Father is Prince Ozai?" Taia held Zuko's hand as her new friend blushed even harder._

"_Um-ya..." Zuko who had been watching the duck pond awkwardly slowly turned to look at Taia._

_He gulped again and smiled slightly. Taia smiled back and turned to watch the ducks. _

Tai Yang... _Zuko recalled that Iroh had called her that._

"_So, um, Lady Tai Yang-"_

"_Ew!" Taia let go of Zuko's hands, which felt oddly cold. "Zuko, just call me Taia. Lady Tai Yang is just so-so-so..."_

"_Icky?" Zuko offered shyly. _

_Taia beamed and grabbed onto his hands. "Exactly. Just call me Taia and I'll call you Zuko. Okay?" Taia blinked three times and watched Zuko expectantly. _

_Zuko nodded slowly. _She's so...cute. Zuko reddened at his thought.

"_Yay!" Taia thru her hands around Zuko's neck and hugged him tightly. "I think we'll be the best of friends! Don't you?" Zuko responded but nodding again smiling slowly but comfortably._

Taia smiled at the memory. Ya they were the best of friends, and she'd always be there for him.

"But now I have to wait for three DAYS!" The calm Taia had vanished and yelled out in annoyance and walked to her room grumbling. "Stupid Zuko...Stupid Iroh...Stupid Avatar!" she mumbled angrily.

* * *

**I know, I know it's shorter than expected but I promise the next chapter will be longer! I hope you liked the Flashback. Anyways Bye and See you next time!**

******Alert, Review and Favourite!**


	8. Chapter Seven: The Spirit World

**Hello my lovelies! :D I'm baaaaaack! Yup, and with an extar long chapter for all of you! I hope you all enjoy it, but first, a few Thank you's!**

**First thanks to; **CourtingTheMoon** for reviewing! You rule, Girlfriend!**

**Thank you also to; **ThisLittleFlowerOfMine17**, **April Marciano** and **bendergurl123** for their Story Favourites!**

**Finally to; **bendergurl123 **for Following! **

**You guys are awesome and the reason I'm still writing this story! Hope you like it!**

* * *

Taia grumbled as a stray tree branch hit her in the face. "Ow! What the-"

"Hurry up Taia! We have to find Uncle and quickly! We don't want to lose the Avatar's trail!" she heard Zuko yell five feet in front of her walking into some reads.

_Great, more plants... _Taia glared at the tall plants as she began to walk into them following her annoyed friend.

"Uncle! It's time to leave! Where are you? Uncle Iroh!" Taia heard Zuko yell as she ran through the reads as fast as she could. When she ran out she bumped into Zuko. He turned to her and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't judge, you know how i am in the forest." Taia looked at her feet and mumbled her response as Zuko laughed quietly. Taia was never one with nature.

"Over here!" Iroh called out happily.

Taia and Zuko turned to their left. Hanging from the low branches of some sort of tree was a fire soldier uniform. Next to it, a hot bath, which was made out of rocks feeding it was a stream of water coming out of the rocks behind it.

"Uncle?" Zuko said his eyes tight with annoyance. "We need to move on, we're closing in on the Avatar's trail and I don't want to lose him!" His eyes opened again with ambition.

"You look tired, Prince Zuko." Iroh relaxed in the hot bath. "Why don't you join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles. Taia, would you like to join us as well?"

"My troubles cannot be soaked away." Zuko yelled slightly. Taia opened her mouth to answer Iroh when Zuko raised his hand implying to be quiet. "Don't try to get Taia to join in on your laziness. She is conscious of how important this task is! Right Taia?" Taia opened her mouth to say something again. "See? Now get out Uncle, It's time to go!" Taia eye twitch as she glared at Zuko.

"You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little. The temperature's just right. I heated it myself." Iroh shifted position slightly, putting his hands together and breathed steam from his nostrils. Zuko who was obscured by steam swatted it away.

"Enough! We need to leave now! Get out of the water!"

Iroh rose from the hot bath. "Very well."

"AH!" Taia and Zuko screamed in sync. Taia eyes were blocked. Zuko had put his hands on his and her eyes to block their view.

"On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes, but be back at the ship in half an hour or we're leaving without you." Zuko said tightly, uncomfortable.

"Ahhhh!" Iroh smiled and leaned back into the hot bath as his nephew and his Ward walked away silently averting their eyes.

* * *

Iroh was taking a small nap in his outdoor hot spring bath, snoring peacefully. A noise startled Iroh into wakefulness.

His eyes scanned his surroundings."Uh? Who's there?"

His head turned with his eyes as he looked for the source of the sound. A small rodent jumped onto the lip of the bath. Iroh smiled and let it jump onto his outstretched hand.

Iroh looked the cute rodent with adoration. "A meadow vole! I should have known. You startled me, little one." Iroh let the vole go and leaned back in the bath, putting his hands behind his head. "Eh, seems I've dozed off and missed my nephew's deadline, but it was a very sweet nap."

The vole began to hop up and down on the lip of the bath making chittering noises. Suddenly it stopped as the ground started shaking from deeper in the forest.

It flipped around to see dust clouds rising from the forest and hopped away. The tremors it the ground moved quickly on the forest floor. Soon they reached Iroh's bath and two other shock waves approached the bath from Iroh's left and right. The old general caught by surprise when the shock waves reached his tub was quickly held fast by three triangular stones that had been pushed into the tub.

A second later, three earth benders appeared next to the tub behind each of the three stone projectiles that were holding Iroh imprisoned. An Earth Kingdom soldier took Iroh's uniform off the tree. Another soldier walked to were Iroh was being held.

"He's a Fire Nation soldier." The Soldier observed.

"He's no ordinary soldier. This is the Fire Lord's brother, the Dragon of the West, the once great General Iroh, but now, he's our prisoner." The Captain said smiling eerily. Iroh, squinted unhappily at his ignominious capture.

* * *

Taia and Zuko were waiting near the ship for Iroh, Taia on a rock, Zuko pacing back and forth in front of her.

"Zuko, don't you think your a little hard on him." Taia stood up. "He's just trying to take a bath for god's sakes-OW!" Taia yelled as she banged her foot of a lose tree root.

Zuko spun around to see Taia hopping up and own holding her foot glaring at the tree root. "How does the root grow all the way out here!? I mean c'mon!" Taia yelled at the root through her clenched teeth.

That had gotten Zuko to melt the worried expression off his face and burst out with laughter. Taia turned to him, annoyed.

"You think this is funny? Huh?" Taia stormed up to her laughing friend. She walked up him glaring. "Nature hates me!"

Zuko looked down at his friend and tried to stop laughing but failed. "You're such a klutz!"

"It's not funny!" Taia poked him in the chest annoyed. Zuko nodded as his short friend tired to be intimidating. Taia wasn't scary to Zuko, only when she was extremely angry and at this moment, she was just annoyed.

Zuko chuckled. "Yes, it is!" Taia grumbled.

"Stupid.." Taia pushed her friend lightly. Zuko laughed when he didn't move an inch. Taia glared.

"Excuse me, sir?" They both turned to see a fire nation soldier awkwardly standing in front of the ship. "We're ready to leave. All we need is General Iroh and we can leave."

Zuko looked back at the forest and sighed annoyed. "Let's go get him. Old man probably feel asleep."

* * *

Zuko lowered a tree branch so he can move forward, a Fire Nation soldier behind and Taia next to him. Zuko barged into the clearing with the ruined hot tub.

"Uncle! Uncle, where are you?" Zuko yelled looking for Iroh. Taia looked around as well and saw the hot tub with stone projectiles embedded in it.

"Sir, maybe he thought you left without him?" The soldier asked Zuko.

"Something's not right here." He examined the hot tub, which Taia's eyes had never left. "That pile of rocks..."

"It looks like there's been a landslide, sir." The soldier suggested.

"Land doesn't slide uphill." Zuko said surely.

Taia walked up to the pile and examined it herself. "Those rocks didn't move naturally."

Zuko's eyes widened with realization. "My uncle's been captured by earthbenders!"

* * *

It was a peaceful night. Iroh was being held captive by the Earth Kingdom soldiers. The four soldiers were on war ostriches, lanterns hanging off the saddles. On the four war ostriches were four soldiers and a basically naked and chained General Iroh. Iroh was sharing his ostrich with one of them.

"Where are you taking me?" Iroh asked.

"We're taking you to face justice." The Captain smirked.

"Right. But where, specifically?" Iroh pushed.

The Captain raised his head with pride for catching the General. "A place you're quite familiar with, actually. You once laid siege to it for 600 days, but it would not yield to you."

"Ah! The great city of Ba Sing Se." Iroh said wistfully.

"It was greater than you were, apparently." The Captain sneered.

"I acknowledged my defeat at Ba Sing Se! After 600 days away from home, my men were tired and I was tired," Iroh replied defensively. Iroh yawned and put his face in the back of the soldier he is riding with. "and I'm still tired."

Iroh fell off the ostrich and the soldier stopped to look. Iroh lied on the road, chained up tight with a smile on his face. The soldiers shine their lights on the General and picked him up. The group kept riding the ostriches toward Ba Sing Se failing to notice the sandal that Iroh left behind. Iroh smiled as the soldiers were oblivious.

* * *

It was the next day when Zuko found the sandal that Iroh had left. Taia was sitting on her war rhinoceros behind Zuko. Zuko had gotten off his rhinoceros and walked up to Iroh's lost sandal. Zuko picked up the sandal and sniffed it, a look of disgust spreading over his face.

"Yup, that's Uncle Iroh." Zuko said holding his breath. Taia made a face at the sandal after Zuko smelt it. Zuko walked back over to his rhinoceros and looked at Taia. "Let's go get the Old Man."

* * *

Iroh and the soldiers were travelling down a winding mountain path. The four war ostriches going slowly. Iroh looked up, bored of the quiet soldiers, and was startled to see a blue dragon and the Avatar fly by overhead. They passed right over the heads of the Earth Kingdom soldiers but only Iroh saw anything.

"What's the problem?" The Captain turned to look at the startled Iroh.

"Nothing. Actually, there is a bit of a problem. My old joints are feeling sore and achy and these shackles are too loose." Iroh brushed off the dragon.

Captain: "Too loose?" The Captain asked disbelieving.

"That's right. The cuffs are loose and they jangle around and bump my wrists. It would help me if you would tighten them so they wouldn't shake around so much." Iroh held up his hands for to show them the dangling cuffs.

The Captain raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Very well. Corporal, tighten the prisoner's hand cuffs."

The corporal got off and touched Iroh's handcuffs and Iroh breathed on them. The hand cuffs became red hot. Iroh grabbed the corporal's hand and put them on the hot iron. The corporal screamed in pain and Iroh hopped off the ostrich.

He launched himself into the air and fired a blast of flame from his feet at the other soldier's on their ostriches. He rolled off the path and down the hill during the ensuing uproar.

* * *

Zuko and Taia were following the path to Iroh when Zuko, atop his war rhinoceros, looked over his shoulder to see the Avatar's flying bison flying in the distance.

"The Avatar!" Zuko yelled.

He yanked the reigns to turn his rhinoceros back and then looked down the trail that led to his captured uncle. He turned again in the direction he saw Appa, indecision marking his face.

"Zuko," Zuko turned to see Taia ready to go after Iroh. "Another Day." She said calmly. Zuko sighed.

* * *

The sun was setting and Iroh and his captors were in an earthen pit. Iroh was stretched over a large rock in the center of the pit, his hands spread before him.

"These dangerous hands must be crushed." The Captain said spitefully.

The captain cried aloud as he raised a huge boulder from the ground and moves it to hover over Iroh's hands. He dropped it. A moment before it could of crushed Iroh's hands and arms, Zuko and Taia entered from the left and Zuko kicked it out of the way. Zuko landed and broke the chains holding Iroh's hands with a kick. Iroh rose with a smile.

"Excellent form, Prince Zuko." Iroh praised.

"You taught me well." Zuko smiled slightly. Taia mock glared at her best friend.

"What? And I'm just standing awkwardly in the classroom?" Taia faked anger.

Zuko laughed and winked at Taia. "Oh yeah. You too." Taia stuck her tongue out at him.

"Surrender yourselves, it's five against three. You're clearly outnumbered." The Captain said to the trio.

Iroh, Taia and Zuko, went back to back to face the soldiers.

"Ya...well, you are clearly outmatched!" Taia mocked. Zuko smirked.

The five earthbenders launched stones at the trio. Iroh swung his chains and broke them into pieces mid-flight, while Zuko blasted the two nearest soldiers with fire.

Taia kicked the closest soldier in the gut with her foot and flipped the one behind her over with a simple flick of her wrist.

Two of the Earth Benders thru huge boulders at Zuko. Zuko was about to be hit when one of the stones were wrapped in Iroh's chains. The other missed Zuko by a long shot and almost hit Taia but Iroh wrapped it a second before she got crushed. He swung them around his body and released them back at their captors.

The soldiers were hit in the stomach and both knocked out. The Captain launched several rocks at Zuko and Taia, who dodges them. Taia's eye twitched and she was about to launch a fire blast at him but was beaten to it by Zuko. The fire blast was blocked when the Captain lowered his head and the fire broke harmlessly over his onion shaped helmet.

The Captain raised two huge sheets of rock with an evil looked on his face. Zuko looked slightly afraid and grabbed Taia to hide behind him, but soon Iroh's chains wrapped around the Captain's feet. Taia soon ran out of Zuko's grasp and swipe kicked his legs making him fall to the ground. Taia took a few steps back quickly as the rocks landed on top of the Captain. Earth Kingdom soldiers groaning and buried in dirt, the tiro standing over them.

Taia suddenly got extremely tired. Her hand grasped Zuko's shoulder as her body slumped.

"Taia!" Zuko yelled as she fainted. Zuko quickly caught her in his arms. He picked her up bridal style.

Iroh chuckled. "She's alright, Prince Zuko. She's just exhausted. You should be two. Have you two slept at all these past two days?"

Zuko looked worried at his best friend and moved a stray hair out of her face. "I guess that makes sense." Iroh put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. Zuko turned, they looked at each other and smiled. Zuko smiled vanished as he realized the state his Uncle was in.

"Now would you please put on some clothes!"

* * *

**Yupp, It's quite a chapter if I do say so myself. XD**

**Honestly, I will tell y'all that Iroh's reason for Taia colaspsing isn't true. I want you guys to have some mystery. The reson for her colasping has something to do with her being the Fire Spirit. I know that so far their hasn't been much about the Fire Spirit but I promise a lot will be explained in the next chapter!**

**Until then my lovelies!**

**********Alert, Review and Favourite!**


	9. AUTHORS NOTE: HIATUS

**Alrighty then Taia Fans, I'm sorry to say this but the story will be on hiatus for a short time. PRobably two months, the longest.**

**Sadly, my internet has been disconected at my house and I won't be able to update. But don't worry. I will update in two month and keep writing the story so that you, my loving and encouraging audience, will have long and interesting (not to mention fluff filled) chapters when I DO come back.**

**This story is not cancelled. It's on break.**

**I hope that I haven't annoyed anyone and I hope that you stay with this story. I've very much enjoyed your input and your loving encouragement.'**

**'Til next time,**

**SunSpiritTaia a.k.a. Rin **


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